Is Your Building a Magnet for Vandals?

As with many undesirable conditions, when it comes to vandalism, prevention is the best medicine. The best way to deter vandals is to make sure that your building isn't an easy target by making it as unappealing to vandals as possible. Spend a few hours thinking like a vandal and assessing your property from a vandal's perspective. As you identify what makes your building attractive to vandals, you can then identify solutions. Some of the areas to address are outlined below.

Lighting – Because most vandalism occurs under the cover of darkness, dark areas may attract vandals, thieves, juveniles, transients, and others who don't want to be seen. Which areas of your building are well-lit? Which areas are not?

Location – Where your building is located could also be a problem. Highly visible locations are attractive to taggers who want recognition while secluded areas may attract juveniles and drug users. While it may not be practical to change your location, you can beef up its security. Monitored surveillance systems with speakers that allow security personnel to warn intruders that they've been spotted and that law enforcement is on the way could be an effective deterrent.

Design – Complexes with parapet roofing, hidden courtyards, and other areas where vandals can easily hide are attractive to vandals. After all, vandals don't want to be caught doing their deeds, so locations that offer the best concealment are often selected. Tearing down parapet walls may not be practical, but you could may your building less attractive to vandals by removing access routes, adding razor wire along the perimeter, and beefing up security with floodlights and surveillance systems.

If you've found out the hard way that your building is a magnet for vandals, call us today for a free vandalism insurance claim review.